>> Good morning.
We are about to convene the
December 7, 2020 Council
briefing meeting which will
come to order.
The time is 9:30 1 AM.
I did receive a notice this
morning from councilmember
Councilmember 's office that
she will not be joining us for
the Council briefing or for
full city Council this
afternoon.
We will make sure to properly
get her excused for this
afternoon but she will not be
joining us this morning.
With that being said, will the
clerk please call the roll.
>> [ Roll being called ]
>>
Seven present.
>> If there is no objection the
minutes of November 30, 2020
will be adopted.
Hearing no objection the
minutes are adopted.
Present's report.
úI don't have anything to repor
this morning so we will go
ahead and dig in a preview of
today's City Council actions
counsil regional committees and
I will: council members as
established by the Regina roll
call for city Council meetings.
This week's roll call will be
as follows, Councilmember
Pedersen and Councilmember
Strauss, Councilmember
Herbold, Councilmember Lewis,
Councilmember Mosqueda and I
will conclude this agendas
discussion for this morning.
First up is Councilmember
Pedersen them will hear from
Councilmember Strauss.
For the record we have been
joined by Councilmember Herbold
.
>> Good morning, colleagues.
The transportation and
utilities committee has nine
items on today's full council
agenda.
All nine of the items on
today's council agenda from the
transportation utilities
committee were recommended
unanimously for passage by the
five members of the committee.
The items include various
property easements and
technical updates from both
Seattle department of its
utilities and Seattle [
Indiscernible ] regarding
transportation we have Council
number 11960 which is a six-
month extension of the existing
transit service funding
agreement with King County
Metro.
This brief six-month extension
is needed because the previous
six year sale transportation
District was written in 2014 to
expire at the end of this year
rather than providing a cushion
in case it was renewed or
extended. The sales tax was of
course renewed by voters last
month, so it will be next year
when we review and adopt more
extensive longer-term service
funding agreement with King
County Metro for our
supplemental bus service.
Speaking of the sales tax for
the Seattle transportation
District today agenda includes
counter number 11959 which
officially imposes that sales
tax which voters authorized
last month.
Both of these transportation
bills were passed unanimously
by the committee and are not
considered controversial. The
more sensitive discussions will
occur next year when we
reviewed the new transit
services agreement with King
County Metro and finally
allocate the remaining reserves
from the old 2014 SDPD measure
and the new revenues from the
incremental $20 vehicle
licensee that the Council
adopted two weeks ago.
This will occur after the
engagement process.
The transportation utilities
committee will meet again on
Wednesday December 16 to be the
last meeting of this calendar
year.
Regarding district 4 on today's
full city Council agenda is
also an item that impacts the
district specifically Madison
Park, council Bill 119746.
With a solid ground housing and
the relatively new Mercy
Magnuson housing there are 850
low income residents who live it
Madison Park.
600 of whom identify as bipod.
As a councilmember for this
district those low income
residents are my main focus for
Madison Park.
I am pleased that council Bill
119746 regarding the tennis
center not only frees a small
start building for other
opportunities but also
strengthens the public benefits
for the low-income residents of
Madison Park.
We work with central staff
parks department antenna center
to make that happen and I
really appreciate chair
Councilmember Juarz leadership
on this as well.
Thank you.
>> Any comments or questions?
Hearing none we will go ahead
and hear from Councilmember
Strauss then Councilmember
Herbold.
>> Good morning.
There are no items from the
neighborhood committee on the
pole calendar or on today's
agenda.
Our next meeting of the land-
use and neighborhood committee
is Wednesday and will start
9:00 a.m.
and this will be the final
meeting of the year with three
items on our agenda a brief
discussion on legislation to
extend interim floodplain
regulations that council
adopted earlier this year.
The permanent regulations were
not finalized this year so we
need to extend interim measure.
A quarterly report from STC I
on the progress towards
strengthening tree protection
to the public hearing and
briefing on application to
extend the contract rezone of
11063 and fourth avenue. This
application is being considered
under councils Quasi-Judicial
rules many public hearing is
limited to parties of record.
The councilmember should
refrain from hearing arguments
about the merits of the
application outside of this
public hearing.
An initial briefing on updates
to the construction code will
occur during the land-use
neighborhood committee.
Let me get back to this.
I believe we have a pause this
briefing.
Council members, I will follow-
up with you about when we were
here briefing on the
construction code update.
Events last week attend the
regional transportation
committee where we reviewed
draft changes to metros
connects in term Metro connect
interim and 20/50 networking
maps.
Last week I attended the
Wallingford community Council
meeting we heard from a number
of homeless service providers
and they presented to the
community about their work in
the Wallingford area.
I also attended the balance of
group meetings of the maritime
industry strategies group on
Tuesday and Thursday where we
had robust discussion about
maritime and industrial
operations and land use.
Transportation and many other
topics.
In District 6 Leslie gospel to
neighbors from Ballard east
Ballard, Green Lake, Greenwood,
Sunset Hill and [ Indiscernible
] and topics of neighborhood
safety, addressing
homelessness, participatory
budgeting, traffic calling, in
and around the brewery District,
as well I will be continuing to
hold district 6 resident
meetings this week.
I will hold those meetings
tonight and tomorrow night.
For the listening public if
you're interested in meeting
with me, please sign up on my
website.
Thank you.
>> Any questions or comments on
that report?
Hearing none will go ahead in
here now from Councilmember
Herbold and then Councilmember
Juarz.
>> Good morning.
Good to be here.
I have no items in the public
safety and human services
committee on the full council
today.
We do have a public safety and
human services committee
meeting tomorrow, Tuesday,
December 8 at 9:30 AM.
Items on the agenda for
tomorrow's meeting are as
follows.
We will have a briefing and
discussion of legislation that
Mayor Durkan and I announced
last week to give explicit
authority to a civilian led
police accountability system to
issue administrative subpoenas
when gathering information
critical to their
investigations.
Subpoena authority for [
Indiscernible ] is subject to
CB requirements and the
legislation was developed
collaboratively with the office
of professional accountability,
the Office of the Inspector
General, the city attorney's
office and has been also been
shared with the Community
Police Commission, the new
legislation itself adds new
sections to the municipal code,
codifies and affirms that the
OPA and OAG [ Indiscernible ]
subpoenas of those who have
witnessed or been involved in
potential misconduct incidents
and in addition the legislation
create a process for OPA and
OIG to draft issue subpoenas
and force them by seeking a
court order should the subject
of the subpoena failed to apply.
Failed to comply, the new
legislation also requires that
individuals and third-party
record holders serve two
subpoenas are provided a
written notice of their right
to due process.
This protection was not
codified previously, and the
addition is intended to increase
civilian participation in OPA
investigations and OIG audits
and reviews.
The second item on our agenda
will be a semi annual audit
report of the three
accountability partners
presented by and from the
committee police commission,
Inspector General, and office
of police accountability.
Finally, we are going to have a
discussion on the proposal for
misdemeanor basic need defense.
The conversation is focused
only on the defense associated
with basic need. It does not
include discussion of the
defense for mental health or
substance abuse disorder, or
picking up the conversation
where we left off on the budget
process.
We've had a few stakeholder
conversations since then.
Again, no legislation will be
presented.
[ Indiscernible ] will help
lead a conversation about how
we might codify the common-law
defense for meeting intermediate
basic need.
Which will include a issue I.D.
and decision agenda sort of
lead discussion.
Other items include this week
update from human services
department on December 8. The
aging disabilities services
division director Kathy Knight
is presenting the cities mobile
integrated health program which
includes help one is part of a
national association of area
agencies on aging, innovations
webinar.
And [ Indiscernible ] served a
warm Thanksgiving day meal from
its food truck outside City
Hall.
The operation [ Indiscernible ]
director described the mail as
well attended, well supervised
and very appreciated.
Multiple departments and the
mayor's office coordinated on
logistics.
Last week we heard news that
the HST interim director Jason
Johnson will be departing at
the end of the year.
Helen Howell will join the city
in January as HST's new interim
director while a search for a
permanent director is underway.
I will meet with HST tomorrow.
Look forward to learning more
about the plans for the
transition and the search.
Just as a reminder, the Council
passed resolution 31868 in 2019
, which lays out the steps that
the Council intends to follow
in the appointed process for
new city department head and
expects that the executive
follow.
The process begins with the
council requesting the mayor
communicate to the committee
chair about the planned
recruitment process prior to
identifying a nomination
process including a description
of the intended process and the
engagement of any advisory
groups stakeholders and subject
matter experts who will be
involved.
This process is designed to
help ensure that both the
Council and the public have
been opportunity to hear the
mayor's goals and ambition for
agency as well as learning
about the eventual candidate.
Hope to be able to share more
with you soon.
As far as an update from public
health, fire department COVID-
19 tests administered at the
four sites now cumulatively is
about 441,000 tests between
June 5 and December 3. Last
week I talked to folks about
Washington notify, a new smart
phone-based app that helps
track your coronavirus exposure
while also protecting your
privacy.
In the first week, more than 1
million Washingtonians activated
notify on the phones and it's
almost one in five adults using
Washington notify to flatten
the curve.
Studies from Oxford university
and Stanford show the more
people who use a tool like
notify the more effectively it
will protect us.
Quick and easy to enable. If
you have not done so go to
WANOTIFY.ORG.
as far as regional committee
updates let folks know that
last week at the regional
policy committee we approved
the best starts for kids
assessment report.
We received a briefing on the
direction of the implementation
plan for the health through
housing King County sales tax
and also received a briefing on
the King County [ Indiscernible
] study.
This week I've got regional
water polity committee and then
I also have this week the lead
policy correlating group
quarterly meeting. And then
just want to give an early
heads-up that on Friday the
18th from 2:00 to 6:00 I will
be holding my monthly virtual
office hours.
That's all I've got for today.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Councilmember
Herbold.
Any comments or questions on
that report?
We will go ahead and hear from
Councilmember Juarz then
Councilmember Lewis.
>> Good morning, everybody.
There are 14 items of the
public assets and native
communities committee on this
afternoon's council agenda.
There is one reappointment to
the Seattle Indian services
commission.
That's Michael Reichert the CEO
of Catholic miscible services.
11 appointments and
reappointment to the Seattle
Center Advisory Commission and
two pieces of legislation. The
firt piece of legislation
provides flexibility to a
contract between the Seattle
center and the Seattle
repertory theater 22 COVID-19
and the second piece of
legislation is regarding the
Sand Point tennis centers
concession agreement with the
city.
I believe Councilmember
Pedersen spoke to some of that
and I will share more about
both this afternoon.
The week ahead, Tuesday,
December 7 I plan to attend the
north King County subarea
briefing for Sound Transit and
participate in the government
and education committee that
afternoon chaired by Council
President Gonzalez.
On Thursday, December 9, have
the Puget Sound regional
Council PS RC transportation
policy board meeting in the
morning.
Thank you.
>> Any comments or questions on
that report?
Will go ahead and hear from
Councilmember Lewis then we
will hear from Councilmember
Morales.
>> Thank you, Mena presidents.
There were no items on this
afternoon's agenda from the
select committee on
homelessness strategies and
investments.
I do have a bill that is on the
introduction referral calendar
council Bill 119975 which I
wouldn't briefing last week.
This bill creates a new section
in the Seattle Municipal Court
defining and governing the
construction of permanent
supportive housing. It also
meant several other code
sections in reference exempting
permanent supportive housing
from several development
requirements and allowing
administrative review of a lot
of development requirements to
expedite and speed up and
reduce the cost of the
construction of permanent
supportive housing.
This bill will be heard in my
committee a week from tomorrow
on December 15 in the
afternoon, so make sure that
folks are marking their
calendars. We need five Council
members for a quorum and I look
forward to everybody being
there to hear more from central
staff but also from the
stakeholders and the provider
community who were really
instrumental in shaping this
and this bill is designed
around issues that they have
identified to me over the last
several months and I'm excited
to be bringing this forward.
There has been an initial [
Indiscernible ] determination
nonsignificant that has been
publicly posted and foes
confinement and read that on my
website.
My Council website.
I look forward to a robust
discussion on the 15th
regarding this critical
legislation to make sure that
we are doing everything we can
to build permanent supportive
housing in a quick, efficient,
and cost-effective way.
Additionally, on the committee
meeting on December 15, we will
be receiving an update from the
executive on the plan to
standup comic the investments
that council made and our
budget.
Last month in regards to the
additive shelter and the
additive outreach investments
through the Hope team.
That presentation will occur
after a briefing on determinate
permanent supportive housing
but between those two things we
should have a pretty informative
, robust and impact on gender.
I look forward to seeing
everybody there to really start
talking about now that we made
these critical investments when
are we going to start seeing in
and out the community and when
is it going to start getting
scaled up and I think we will
have some good information
about that not only for us as
councilmembers but also for the
public at that meeting.
I do want to close by
recognizing director Johnson's
departure from the human
services department
councilmember that
Councilmember Herbold alluded
to earlier.
I want to take a moment to
thank Director Johnson who
announced his decision to leave
the department in winter of
last year but stayed on
throughout the COVID transition
in a really critical time for
the department in not only
standing up a lot of emergency
resources due to COVID but also
for his leadership and
assistance in Seattle really
showing up in a big way to
present our vision for what the
regional homelessness authority
should be. Again, [
Indiscernible ] position from
some folks who don't always
share our vision in the
conversations.
I appreciate the consistency
and leadership of Director
Johnson during that period.
Would've been difficult to have
a lot of those conversations I
think if we were also dealing
with a leadership transition at
that time.
I appreciate that director
Johnson held off his departure
plans for a couple of months to
make sure that those transitions
were going according to plan
and appreciate his leadership
and look forward to our
considerations on who the new
permanent human services
department director will be.
Madam President, with that, I
don't have any additional
updates.
>> Thank you,Councilmember
Lewis.
Any comments or questions on
that report?
Hearing none, thank you,
Councilmember Lewis.
I do plan on attending your
committee meeting scheduled for
later this week and look
forward to deeper conversation
on many issues you highlighted.
Next up is Councilmember
Morales followed by
Councilmember Mosqueda.
>> I just want to confirm with
Councilmember Lewis the meeting
you're talking about is a 2:00
next Tuesday.
>> I misspoke.
You are right.
It is next --
>> The 15th.
>> The 15th at 2:00 p.m.
I apologize for saying that
it's a this week.
>> That's okay.
I wanted to make sure I am in
the right place at the right
time.
>> That's correct, the 15th.
>> I will be there.
Thank you.
There were no items from the
community economic development
committee on today's -- this
afternoon agenda.
I do have a proclamation for
community member [ Name
indiscernible ] who passed
recently. We did circulate
that's on Friday so I'm hoping
that my colleagues have had a
chance to see that.
We will be presenting it this
afternoon in full council and
I believe the son of [ Name
indiscernible ] will be at the
presentation were with us at
the presentation to make a few
remarks.
I am looking forward to that
opportunity.
Last Wednesday I had a meeting
of the central digits and
economic development District
board.
They are working on their gender
on PS RC's agenda around the
regional equity strategy in
2021.
They plan to continue working
on capacity building within PS
RC to develop a deeper
understanding of racial equity
and have been working with [
Indiscernible ]. Some of you
might be familiar with national
consulting firm that does a lot
with government and regional
and regional equity work.
They are working with the staff
and board to receive training
and using the data and research
department to focus on
displacement risk mapping and
ways that PSRC can get more
engaged in reducing disparities
between communities as it
relates to development and
housing opportunities.
I'm excited that that work is
underway and we will continue
to report back to this
council's that work develops.
In the district last week I met
with young people from youth
Corps and want to thank
Councilmember Herbold for
inviting me to participate in
the conversation.
It was young people who are in
the warmest palatable
Georgetown and Southpark who
really wanted to discuss with
us their concerns about
environmental equity
particularly around air quality
in the area.
This a lot of industry there
and they're looking for support
getting things like air monitors
to monitor the heavy metals
that are in the air.
They also talked about the need
for dedicated space for young
people.
There is no place for them to
gather. Even without COVID the
community center it Southpark
is small and booked so they're
looking for some support in
finding some dedicated space
for young people in the Valley.
And very interested in better
more frequent reliable bus
service in both the Georgetown
and Southpark.
I was happy for the chance to
have a conversation with them.
We also met with folks from
while block and students from [
Indiscernible ] high school and
of the committee members about
their fear of the looming
evictions coming. We have got a
lot of constituents were really
worried about what happens when
a pandemic era protections are
lifted, but also about the
existing relief and the
statewide work, the no debts,
no evictions campaign, so
there's a lot of interest in
the community and making sure
that we are all aware of the
looming problem and they are
looking for -- looking to us at
every level of government to
figure out what we're going to
do about making sure that
people are able to stay in
their homes. On Wednesday, we
did continue the discussion
with the folks in NewHolly who
live around the John Sabol park
. There has been a lot of
concern around the issues.
Not just there on the parts of
all of our communities.
We've had similar conversations
in Georgetown and Chinatown
international District.
We thought this is a good
opportunity to not just talk
with them from our office or
have them hear from our office
but to bring some of her
outreach providers to the
conversation.
We did have folks from reach
and Lehigh, I forget who else
was there, but that direct
communication was really
important because now the
neighbors understand what this
outreach work is. They got to
ask questions.
They got more -- much more
detailed information than we
were abl to provide about how
that outreach and engagement
with folks who are experiencing
homelessness actually works and
how important it is to start
building those relationships so
that we can help move folks
into more stable situations.
That was her district work.
The last thing I want to do is
thanks Randy Engstrom, who we
all learned this week -- last
week is leaving the department
of arts and culture.
He is leaving in January to
turn his attention to national
issues. I have known Randy
since 2005 when he was leading
the Youngstown cultural arts
center.
Then we worked together on the
King County food and fitness
initiative in 2008.
His deep, deep connection to
the community a think is part
of what made him so successful
as a director of the office of
arts and culture.
It has been a huge pleasure to
work with him just this year.
I'm sorry wanted to continue to
work with him, but I'm really
excited that before Randy
leaves he was able to see to
the creation of a really
important tool for anti-
displacement work for
preserving arts and cultural
space, so we will be hearing
soon from the mayor's office
about the cultural space agency
which is a PDA that is being
finalized right now and it is a
critical tool for stopping the
displacement of artists who
really fuel our creative
industry, or creative sector.
I am looking forward to
continuing that work with name
[ Indiscernible ] Childers and
want to wish Randy all the best
as he moves on to other things.
That is all I have this
morning.
Thank you.
>> Thank you, Councilmember
Juarz.
Any comments or questions?
Hearing none we will hear now
from Councilmember Mosqueda.
Good morning.
>> Good morning.
Good to see all of you.
There are no items from the
finance and has a committee
meeting on today's full council
agenda.
However, there is going to be
financed and has a meeting
scheduled for this Wednesday at
1:00 p.m.
Thanks so much for folks in the
committee for making time
available.
We have items on the
introduction and referral
calendar that is scheduled for
a committee discussion on
Wednesday.
Items five to eight on the
introduction referral accounts
relate to the quarter for
budget.
We will have a briefing and
discussion and possible vote on
the quarter for supplemental
registration.
I am anticipating a robust
discussion during Wednesday's
afternoon.
I want to make sure all of us
have a chance to get questions
answered. Identify any
direction we would like to
offer for the various
departments associated spending
and also to get any concerns or
questions answered before there
is any [ Indiscernible ] is my
intended goal.
You will see those items on
does referral council calendar
that do not have a sponsor
items number five and seven.
I did have ongoing questions
about those, so we are looking
forward to making sure all of
our questions to get answers
specifically regarding the SPC
spending and get clarification
this week working with a
central staff and with all of
you during the conversation on
Wednesday to make sure those
questions get answered.
As you all recall, we did pass
resolution this year throughout
the summer budgeting process
that stated council not support
any budget amendment to
increase SPD's budget was that
overtime expenditures above the
funds budgeted in 2020 or 2021.
I think the questions that we
have for Wednesday are parked
back to that language making
sure we are asking questions
about reasonable approaches to
any overtime spending regarding
the remaining calendar I'm
sorry quarter for spending. I
think it's her intent to make
sure we are plying a standard
practice of allowing individuals
to cement individual
departments to be able to
identify if there is any
overspending we will take that
up in each supplementary
quarterly spending.
As his council has been very
clear we also want to make sure
we are interrupting the process
and the [ Indiscernible ]
allowing [ Indiscernible ]
specifically to come back for
over $10.
And making sure we are having a
robust discussion about that
with this council . This is
been a big priority over the
last eight to 10 months here.
>> We are going to be working
with our friends in the
department but also within the
central staff to get a better
understanding of the dollars
that are being requested and
potential reprisals there.
I know during this pandemic we
are very intent on making sure
our public spending is focused
on areas where able to invest
in individuals who are
struggling due to the crisis,
both the health crisis and
economic crisis struggling with
rent, food and basic
expenditures making sure we
have questions answered is in
line with that effort to make
sure that we are engaging in a
robust conversation about where
those dollars could be spent,
how they have been spent and
asking some tough questions
about where they were spent
especially in the light of some
of the recommendations that
came from our accountability
partners that does suggest
continued de-escalation or
decrease presence in the street.
Those are some of the questions
that we will be asking in
advance a Wednesday and if you
have additional questions about
that in a central staff is at
the ready to help us answer
those.
There will also be a briefing
and discussion on the community
roots housing loan organization
authorize Isis the mayor and
director of the office of
housing to execute a loan
agreement with community roots
housing formally Capitol Hill
housing program in amount of up
to $1 million using general
fund prorated to finance
general in the city's fourth-
quarter supplemental.
The COVID-19 pandemic has
impaired community [
Indiscernible ] revenues
including commercial and
resident tenants resulting in a
operation of income of actually
up to $3.2 million in 2020.
Capital roots housing has taken
action to mitigate this loss
however the shortfall is around
$1 million and is a public
developed authority the
committee was housing is not
eligible to apply for COVID-19
federal assistance or PPP funds
and it is I think all of her
interest to make sure they have
the funding needed to address
the shortfall.
In summary, this is a lot to
fill the loss of the revenue
from the tenants rent and it
can be absolutely seen as part
of our ongoing effort to
address the crisis of the COVID-
19 pandemic as having on a
renters across the city and
making sure we are providing
both rental assistance and
mortgage relief for our
residents here.
There were also be a briefing
and hearing and discussion on
the 2021 annual action plan
which allows the city to start
pre-award spending in January
from the community development
grant home investment
partnership program and housing
opportunities for people living
with AIDS and emergency loan
solutions fund.
The CG be here home highlight
any history funds are all part
of our discussion that we will
begin on Wednesday this week so
that we can engage in the
preaward spending ready for
January.
Finally, I really excited about
this.
We do have $5 million in grants
for small business restaurants
and workers impacted for COVID-
19 pandemic.
We will have the conversation
on Wednesday and possible
briefing and discussion about
the bill and cosponsor along
with Council President Gonzalez
and Councilmember Morales in
partnership with the mayor's
office and want to again thank
the mayor's office for the work
to help expedite some of these
funds.
December 15 finance and housing
committee has been canceled.
Another update want to make sure
you know there's an invitation
coming your way hoping fights
might be up to log in early pop
into an open house and say
hello to Andrew Houston our new
interim policy manager and Lori
[ Name indiscernible ] intern
for this year.
We are excited to welcome these
amazing folks and make sure
they have access to our
incredible team and all the
resources that the legislative
department want to have them to
get a chance to meet as you did
with the [ Indiscernible ] send
off hope you can pop in to say
hello.
That will be at 1:30 PM today
if you can pop in and say hello
at normal times and good times
we would have an open house and
letting people come in such as
pop and if you get the chance.
I will send resume link
momentarily.
Thank you for your work and
good luck in the next six
months as she is with her
newborn.
Very excited for her.
Thank you all for potentially
welcoming Andrew and Lori.
With that, I will send the
email invitation out and that
concludes my remarks.
>> Thank you, Councilmember
Mosqueda.
Any comments or questions?
Councilmember Pedersen.
>> Just trying to get my
calendar straight.
You are meeting this Wednesday
afternoon. It's a special
meeting essentially?
>> That's correct and it's not
the full budget meeting.
It's not the select budget
committee.
As of the finance and housing
committee and that start from
1:00 to 3:00.
Folks also have RPC I think a
3:00, so trying to align all of
those as well.
>> Okay.
Thank you.
>> Any other questions or
comments for Councilmember
Mosqueda?
I will go ahead and conclude
this section of the agenda with
my reports. I will start with
the report education committee
and governance in education
committee meeting is tomorrow,
Tuesday, December 8 at 2:00
p.m.
We have to say items for
discussion.
First will be -- first item on
the agenda is legislation
transmitted by the department
of education and early learning
related to the families
education preschool and
promised Levy.
This legislation will come to us
so that it will allow a better
opportunity to administer it the
levy dollars as the pandemic
demands continue to require us
to adapt and be flexible in how
we serve Seattle families who
are now remote learning as
opposed to learning on-site and
in person.
That will be a Bill that we
will discuss.
It is listed for briefing
discussion and possible vote.
The second item is legislation
related to robbing regulations
so this legislation comes to us
from the Seattle ethics and
elections commission.
They are requesting that we
consider making three changes
to the lobbying regulations
that currently exist at the
city of Seattle central staff
policy analyst [ Indiscernible
] ended circlet memo to all of
the members of the committee
last week.
That memo details exactly what
this legislation does.
Again, just three primary
things.
One it requires directors and
deputy directors and direct
reports to, if there is
lobbying of those individuals
then lobbyists will have to
register that lobbying activity
. The other item that it covers
is requiring or establishing
grassroots lobbying regulations
in the city of Seattle but
nearer what currently exists at
the state of Washington. That
is probably going to be the
most significant change for
folks in our city so this will
require folks who spend $750 in
a month or $1500 in a three-
month period on lobbying
members of the public for
purposes of influencing
legislation and policy or other
decisions before us. It will
require those sponsors as
defined by the legislation to
now disclose that lobbying
activity. It does not prevent
people from continuing to
engage in grassroots lobbying.
It will just simply require
additional disclosure
requirements for purposes of
transparency and understanding
members of the public as to who
is funding what's grassroots
lobbying efforts and activities
and work that is designed to
influence decision-making at the
city of Seattle.
And then the third component,
which I am now forgetting, just
a moment here.
Usually I have all these
details memorized, and my brain
is not cooperating with me this
morning.
To give me just a moment.
Here we go.
The third thing that this bill
will require is it will require
disclosure by registered
lobbyists for compensated work
that is done for political
campaigns.
In effect this bill is cleaning
up and requiring additional
registration reporting in two
categories and establishing a
new registration and reporting
regiment as relates to
grassroots lobbying.
Look referring to in hosting
the director of the ethics
commission and the commissions
of current chair who is
Nicholas brown at our Tuesday
meeting of the government and
education committee to have
more conversation about that
propose legislation.
It's my hope that we will vote
it out of committee next week
and it will be [ Indiscernible
]. If you have any questions,
that particular legislation
related to library regulation [
Indiscernible ] you can reach
out to [ Indiscernible ], my
office or council central
staff.
On this afternoon's agenda we
don't have anything for action
on the full council agenda for
my committee.
I do have several items on the
direction and referral
calendar.
I just want to highlight if
you've those for awareness of
colleagues and limbs of the
public. First up is Council
Bills 119966, which is the
legal representation of Mayor
Jenny Durkan and court
proceedings concerning recall [
Indiscernible ]. This is
unsponsored legislation
developed by the city
attorney's office at the
request of Mayor Durkan.
It's very similar in nature to
council Bill 119891 related to
the legal defense of
Councilmember Sawant which the
Council voted to pass on
September 15. According to the
note attached the mayor's legal
fees in the case totaled
approximately $240,000. The
mayor is now seeking to avail
herself of the statutory
provisions that we rely on in
these instances to seek
reimbursement of the total sum
of those legal fees that were
related to her recall
litigation.
I expect that this legislation
will be on the city Council
agenda for next Monday,
December 14.
If you have any questions,
please do not hesitate to reach
out to my office or directly to
Jessica Needleman at the city
attorney's office.
Next actually I misspoke.
This one is on this afternoon's
agenda.
Resolution three when I need to
2021 state legislator agenda.
This resolution we had two
meetings and discussions during
council briefing and
presentations from our good
folks over at the office of
intergovernmental relations
related to the city's 2021
state legislative agenda for
the charter required to
formulate and adopt a
legislative agenda in
collaboration with the mayor.
They represent the stated
priorities of the city of
Seattle for each regular
legislative session in Olympia
this year marriage and
represents our continued
commitment to affordable
housing, the environment, [
Indiscernible ] economy, racial
equity, Southington Police
Department resurrected that
analogies and cracks for
extremely progressive taxation
system. We are also happy and
eager to work with the state
and federal partners for much,
much, much needed COVID-19
relief for our neighbors,
business owners, and small
business owners and impacted
workers.
I want to thank each of you for
taking the time to engage
during the council briefing on
input and feedback and
questions to OIR related to the
legislative agenda and want to
thank the folks at OIR for
presenting and drafting the
legislative agenda in the past
few weeks, and for their effort
in reaching out to each of you
individually to get additional
feedback.
I also want to thank [ Name
indiscernible ] from council's
adjuster for the work she has
been doing to coordinate and
make sure we get this across
the finish line and a high
quality product.
We will take final action on
this resolution that purports
to approve the state -- city
state legislator lobbying
agenda which appears as an
attachment to resolution 31982.
And then, we also have an
introduction referral calendar
council Bill as councilmember
mentioned we are going to have
a really exciting opportunity
to have a conversation around
appropriations for additional
COVID-19 relief. Some of you
may have seen that last week
the city announced legislation
for restaurants and bar relief
in particular in response to
the latest round of
restrictions and announced by
Governor Jay Inslee. Again,
fueled by his deep desire to
curve the surgeon COVID-19
infections.
Of course, we know these
rejections are necessary at
this point in order to continue
to try to get the surgeon COVID-
19 infections under control.
But the restrictions do come
with impacts, real impacts to
people who are working and
doing business in our city. Of
course, we know that the
industry that is most
significantly and it's a
partially impacted on the
workers side and on the
business operation sign our
restaurants, bars and
hospitality industries.
I am thrilled to be sponsoring
this legislation and appreciate
the support of Councilmember
Mosqueda and Councilmember
Lewis in supporting this
legislation and really want to
thank Mayor Jenny Durkan and
members of her team and her
office for working with us over
the Thanksgiving holiday week
to pull together the proposal
that will be discussed in
Councilmember Mosqueda's
committee later this week.
I want to thank central staff
identifying the additional $5
million of general fund dollars
that will be used to get this
release out the door.
2.5 million of those dollars
will go directly to workers in
the hospitality industry who
have had negative impact
related to reduction in hours
or being laid off from
hospitality industry business
that direct cash assistance for
those individuals will be up to
$1000 per individual and we
will work with our human
services department to
administer that particular
program an additional $2.59
will be also distributed to
small businesses with previously
applied for the small business
stabilization fund, and are
looking forward to continuing
to work on making sure those
dollars also get out the door
quickly and efficiently.
It's my hope that we will be
able to consider this bill
before we go on recess.
Of course, we know they need is
pretty dire and so my hope is
we will be able to vote it out
of the finance and has a
committee this week for
councils for consideration on
December 14 and I would be
remiss in saying that my
ultimate hope is that Congress
will actually step up and
deliver on a massive scale
relief bill for both all of the
millions of workers who are at
work right now and also for our
small businesses who are trying
to stay afloat so that workers
who are currently laid-off have
something to come back to but
until then cities and local
governments have a very unique
opportunity to make smart
strategic targeted investment
towards industries that have
been specifically and
disproportionately impacted and
am happy that this bill will
hopefully help to provide some
relief to the hospitality
workers and restaurants and bars
, small restaurants and bars
throughout our city.
The last bill that is on the
introduction referral already
spoke to relates to the 2018
levy flexibility. We are
calling it the flexibility
legislation so that's on
today's IRC and I spoke about
this morning so there's no need
to belabor here.
Happy to take any questions
about that and there he spoke
to the lobbying legislation as
well.
That is the end of my report on
items on this agenda.
I am happy to take any
questions or hear any comments.
>> Just a quick question about
the worker assistance bill.
I had originally heard it was
focused on restaurant and
service industry.
I hear you mentioning
hospitality industry.
Does that mean hotel workers
who do not work at small hotels
will be eligible for assistance
or is this only for the
employees of -- the workers at
small businesses?
>> This is specifically
designed for workers at small
businesses and the does have to
be access between financial
loss with the worker and the
small business.
>> News the hospitality
industry are really -- are
there -- small
>> I may be loose with my
language.
The intent is to focus
specifically on workers of
small businesses first and
foremost as a big filter and we
are looking at focusing
specifically on those workers
who have been negatively
impacted economically by the
COVID-19 restrictions that have
disproportionately impacted
restaurants and bars.
Now, it is the case that in
some instances there could be
some smaller shop businesses
that are co-located in hotels
and I certainly wouldn't want
to preclude those workers from
being able to access some of
the relief if those businesses
have experienced some financial
impacts. Will talk eventually
small businesses not, not large
franchises.
>> I totally get that for the
assistance to the business I
but for the workers' side to be
have an analysis that shows
that people who in the service
industry and in the hospitality
industry that work at large
businesses are not suffering as
much as those same workforce
working at small businesses?
>> I'm not sure I'm following
your question.
>> You refer to this as being
targeted relief and I just want
to make sure that we are
targeting the relief to the
workers most in need and I
don't know of an analysis that
shows that workers who work in
the service and hospitality
industry who work for small
businesses are suffering more
than that same workforce
working for large businesses.
>> I don't have any sort of
longitudinal studies that I can
point to you, point you to.
I do now that the unemployment
numbers tell a story about who
is being, you know, pretty
significantly impact on the
workers' side in terms of an
employment rates.
We know that for restaurant and
bar workers that number is
hugely significant in
comparison to other industries
and so I think because we are
trying to focus on the relief
I'm being a dovetail to the
recent round of restrictions
that the governor has imposed
that specifically prohibit
indoor dining so that impacts
restaurants and bars
specifically if you don't have
any outdoor space and can't
shift your model and so that's
why we are focusing on
restaurant workers and bar
workers in particular.
I am not aware of this latest
round of restrictions
restricting further restricting
hotels for example, or other
large businesses or small
businesses frankly who still
have outdoor dining.
We are trying to focus the
strategies and target the
strategies through the lens of
this latest round of
restrictions imposed by
Governor Jay Inslee which
unquestionably have a more
profound impact on restaurants
and bars cannot afford indoor
-- who cannot provide indoor
dining by virtue of how their
business model is structured.
>> Okay.
I think I understand the nexus
here.
It's related also to the size
of the business is what you're
saying because of the inability
again smaller business
footprint to still stay open
and employ people unlike in
larger businesses you sound
like you're singing larger
business they are able to do
that because of the larger
floorplan.
Thanks for walking me through
that.
Appreciate it.
>> Is the function of the
larger workplan and the fact
that some of the larger
businesses may have outdoor
space that they can shift their
dining model to. A lot of our
small businesses don't have
that.
The reality is we are doing
business in the city of Santa
Ana where outdoor space dining
space is a bit of a luxury in
normal times.
How may times have we been
asking ourselves whether we
find a rooftop deck where we
can go have happy hour and come
up with [ Indiscernible ]'s I
think that's a reality.
The infrastructure of her brick-
and-mortar and the city of
Seattle is really fundamentally
designed and oriented toward
indoor dining and bar patronage
and so we are trying to focus
on those individuals and those
businesses and their workers
who just literally don't have
the physical space to shift
their model toward outdoor
dining.
Any other questions or comments
for me?
I appreciate the questions,
thank you Councilmember Herbold
and happy to continue talking
with you if you have additional
questions or concerns in
looking for to the
conversation and Councilmember
Mosqueda's committee.
Lastly before we go ahead and
adjourn, I just want to give a
big shout out to all of the
advocates, activists and doctor
recipients and holders
themselves.
Last week we saw an
extraordinarily positive
federal court ruling on
D.A.C.A.
the deferred action -- deferred
action child act. This court
ruling has ordered the Trump
administration must begin
accepting new applications for
D.A.C.A.
recipients for the first time
since 2017. This is a huge win
for our young Americans
commonly referred to as dreamers
and immigrant rights advocates
everywhere.
It is a step in the right
direction and really thrilled
on behalf of all of our
immigrant brothers and sisters
who are going to be able to get
some level of stability for the
first time since 2017.
And really excited that last
year our city Council in its
good wisdom and thought
allocated an additional dollars
to help people apply for
D.A.C.A.
status.
This was designed to be a
renewal of your D.A.C.A.
dollars and looking forward to
seeing how and 2021 we might be
able to leverage some
additional dollars to help not
just with the renewal but with
the actual application process
for new D.A.C.A.
recipients.
Really positive news and on
that front and wanted to say
congratulations to the millions
and millions and millions of
young folks in America who as I
know, we know home is here and
will always be here for them.
So, huge congrats to them.
All right, colleagues.
Any other comments or
questions?
>> I wanted to also and they
congratulations. I have not had
a chance to [ Indiscernible ]
Erin House did deliver her baby
and she is named Lena Maxine
House Blake.
welcome to the world, Lena, and
regulations.
>> Congratulations and good
morning.
>> Thank you, everybody, for
your time and attention this
morning.
That doesn't include our items
of business on this morning's
agenda.
I look forward to seeing you
all at 2:00 this afternoon.
Thank you.